Byte-timeslot-synchronous, dynamically switched multi-source-node data transport bus system

摘要

A self-optimizing digital communications network for transporting data among a set of nodes, such as routers, switches or terminal equipment, based on multi-source-node data transport channels, which have a framed carrier signal, and on which frame-slots are dynamically assigned among the individual source nodes of the channel using channel access control signaling in signal frame overhead. Per each such multi-source-node channel, each individual source node is identified with a unique channel access number called Local Node Identifier, and a control information field called Active Node Identifier carried in the overhead of each frame selects one of the channel source nodes to transmit data on the channel on the next frame period. With the present invention, all nodes along such channels access the channel synchronously using the same frame-timeslot phase, so that the channel can have a different active source node even for every new frame period, without any channel down-time.